Introduction of Labyrinthus Stellarum
One of the members of Labyrinthus Stellarum is on our Discord server, and he brought to my attention that the band has released their first album, which premiered on their YouTube channel. I have to say, right from the start, that I like the band’s Latin name, which means ‘Labyrinth of the Stars.’ The band hails from Odesa, Ukraine, and consists of three members. Since this is their debut album, I gave it several spins, and now it’s time for a review.
About Tales of the Void
Tales of the Void contains 7 tracks with 42 minutes and 39 seconds.
- Void Dwellers
- Nebular Temple
- The Eternity
- Cosmic Winds
- The Birth
- Star Chant
- Stellar Nursery
First off, I have to mention how perfectly the album artwork matches the title. The red eyes staring out at you, set against the cosmic void in the background, create a sense of dread that captures perfectly the album’s theme. The band logo is also worth a mention; it’s well-designed, and the stars surrounding it complete the package. But what about the music itself?
Labyrinthus Stellarum plays atmospheric black metal with a space theme, which could also be described as cosmic black metal. Personally, I tend to think of black metal as black metal, without all the sub-genres, but I know that many people enjoy these distinctions, so we’ll go with cosmic black metal for now.
Sound-wise, the album is decent. The drums are serviceable (I believe they may have been generated by a drum machine, but I’m not entirely sure), and the vocals match the album’s theme well. They’re set a bit far back in the mix, but this only adds to the overall atmospheric feel of the album. For a debut album, Labyrinthus Stellarum has delivered a solid effort.
Track Highlights
The third track on the album, ‘The Eternity,’ is one of my favorites due to its fast-paced drums that sound great, whether they’re machine-generated or not. The vocals are also spot on, and the keyboards are well-balanced and not too overwhelming.
Another standout track for me is ‘The Birth,’ which is the fifth track on the album. It has a unique quality that makes me feel like I’m floating in a void, especially around the 2.5-minute mark. There’s an interlude that sounds like you’re drifting between the stars, which adds to the overall ambiance of the piece.
I also enjoyed ‘Star Chant,’ which features great drumming and riffs. The vocal style at the end of the song has a hymn-like quality that perfectly matches the space/cosmic theme of the album.
Although ‘Stellar Nursery’ is an instrumental track, it’s still one of my favorites. I’ve listened to it several times on my headphones, and it sounds spectacular. Closing my eyes and drifting away is the vibe I get from this song, and it matches perfectly with the theme of the album.
Conclusion
The band has dropped a great album for their first release, and I hope they continue in this style for future releases. While there are some things I would change, these are simply personal preferences and do not detract from the overall quality of the album. In particular, I would like to see the next album incorporate a more diverse tone, as the keyboards/synths take over a bit too much and make all tracks feel like one long piece. Nevertheless, this is a solid first release, and I highly recommend giving it a listen.
If you enjoy cosmic/atmospheric black metal, I encourage you to give it a spin. You can listen to the premiere stream in the video below or on Bandcamp. If you like what you hear, consider buying the album to support the artist.
Links
Bandcamp: Tales of the Void | Labyrinthus Stellarum (bandcamp.com)
Facebook: Labyrinthus Stellarum | Facebook